The summer before Jenna McChesney’s senior year in high school, family friends told her how much their daughter had enjoyed her time at Radford University and the value of the education she received. After that conversation, McChesney and her family decided to register for a campus tour at RU. Following that visit, McChesney was hooked. She submitted her application and was offered admission not only to the university, but also to the university’s Honors Academy.

Although Radford University was not the only institution she applied to, McChesney preferred the small class sizes, close-knit community, student leadership opportunities, and the fact that Radford continues to grow and expand in both programs and buildings. She was also intrigued by the opportunity to participate in a capstone project as part of her involvement in the Honors Academy. A capstone project is a culminating experience that might be a thesis, portfolio of creative works, a major research project or a performance or exhibit.

While McChesney was excited about the possibility of a capstone project, initially she was uncertain about her major, so she reached out the Pre-Major Advising Center for help.

“I would spend countless hours in their office discussing different career options,” she said. “Thanks to their patience and guidance, I finally decided to major in psychology. After taking a Spanish class that was fun and engaging, I made Spanish my minor and plan on studying abroad in either Mexico or Spain in the summer of 2014.”

During her time at Radford University, McChesney has focused her studies on social psychology and industrial organizational (IO) psychology.

“I find social psychology fascinating and love understanding why people do the things they do,” she said. “I am also interested in IO psychology because people spend just as many hours, if not more, at work than they do with their family or friends. I believe it's important to be happy and I want to help contribute to an organization’s success by improving the overall well-being of employees.”